Derrick Rose Getting Comfortable Again as Playoffs Approach
CHICAGO — Since training camp, Derrick Rose has been consistent in his belief in one thing: The best is yet to come.
Through months of up-and-down play, stretches where he took too many three-pointers and ultimately a knee injury that cost him 20 games, Rose has been steadfastly and relentlessly vocal about his confidence that once the Chicago Bulls get to the playoffs, the explosive, pre-injury Derrick Rose would be what we would see.
It’s still a work in progress, but Saturday night’s 114-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers was the strongest sign yet that the old Rose is still in there somewhere.
Rose’s 22 points came on 19 shots, but he showed aggressiveness and an eagerness to attack the basket that has been missing for much of the year. On Saturday, his first instinct was always to look for a better shot, be it for himself or for a teammate. His eight assists came with no turnovers, and he didn’t force many of the three-pointers that have been his Achilles’ heel this year.
“The shots that I missed, I felt like they were good shots,” Rose said after the game. “I’ve just got to get my feet under me a little bit more for my jump shots. It comes with just playing basketball. You’re going to miss shots, but the way that I missed tonight was crucial.”
“I thought he played well in all areas,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau. “He made a few great hustle plays. Defensively he came up with some loose balls and great effort plays. You can tell he’s feeling good out there. That’s the most important thing. He’s got a good rhythm going.”
That rhythm is what Rose hopes will keep growing stronger as he gets more games in. The individual results of Saturday night’s game, against one of the worst teams in the NBA, don’t matter as much as Rose’s growing confidence that the steps he’s taking are the right ones.
The Rose who showed up Saturday is the one the Bulls will need if they want to go far in the playoffs. Even if his shots aren't falling, just the threat of Rose attacking the basket opens up the floor for his teammates.
“He always puts the fear in the defense in the first three seconds of the shot clock,” said Sixers coach Brett Brown. “Anybody who can get where he can get to in three seconds and put that kind of pressure on the rim in his first dribble or two, you’re always aware of him scoring quick.”
That’s what the Bulls will need from him on a nightly basis in the playoffs. Over the last two games of the regular season, Rose will have to continue feeling his way back, hoping that process doesn’t take longer than that.
In the meantime, his teammates are just happy to have him back on the floor with the playoffs a week away. Just a few weeks ago, there was a reasonable chance that wouldn’t be the case.
“It’s great, man,” said Joakim Noah. “It definitely gives us positive energy. This team needs it. Just to see him out there playing like that, moving like that, it feels great.”
Rose has been out for so long, this year and the last two, that it’s still an ongoing process feeling out his teammates’ tendencies. The continuity they needed to build over the course of the season now has to be fast-tracked to make up for lost time.
“I think it’s coming,” Rose said. “It’s not there yet. I’m learning how everybody’s playing. I’m getting used to how everybody plays. Just getting used to basketball again.”
This season hasn’t gone as smoothly as planned for Rose or for the Bulls—that’s the story of his career. But he’s feeling more comfortable every day, and a comfortable Rose is a productive Rose. It’s been too long since that’s been a constant.
“I’m trying to figure this thing out,” Rose said. “I think I’m built for it.”
Sean Highkin covers the Chicago Bulls for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @highkin. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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